


insectile dysfunction

by hummingbirdbandit



Category: Homestuck
Genre: (but not how you think), Alternate Universe - No Sgrub Session, BDSM, Bukkake, Bulges and Nooks (Homestuck), Disability, Fiduspawn, Horn Stimulation, Humiliation, M/M, Nookworms, Oral Sex, Pony Play, Praise Kink, Sex Toys, Stripping, Wet & Messy, and other nerd games for girls, handjob
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 21:30:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20378422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hummingbirdbandit/pseuds/hummingbirdbandit
Summary: "It is a, uh.  Service economy, isn't it?"





	insectile dysfunction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oncewewerezombies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oncewewerezombies/gifts).

> Request by oncewewerezombies   
Tags   
No Archive Warnings ApplyTavros Nitram/Equius ZahhakEquius ZahhakTavros NitramBDSMBondagePraise KinkHumiliationBulges and Nooks (Homestuck)   
Summary   
Tavros would be a wonderful dom and I won't be swayed from this fact. Something in a non-Game AU preferred, Alternia focused. Whether Tavros still has robolegs or not, or is in a four-wheel device or not, is up to you. Domination is more of a mindgame than a physical thing and Equius longs to be of service.  
I'd like to see Tavros lovingly, gently and utterly thoroughly wreck Equius' shit. That's the prompt.  
Bonus points if Equius gets lowblood slurry bukkake'd.
> 
> I had such a blast writing this. Getting to research paralysis and its effects on sex life/relationships was eye-opening, and getting to make something super sexy out of it was a fun challenge. Thank you for the opportunity, Zombie!! 
> 
> And thank you to my beta readers, fox_salz and Elendraug, for keeping me going (and for pointing out that my screewyrm is just a glorified Onix).

"That's, um. Your last host plush, isn't it, Equius?" Tavros asks, smiling across the playing field. Strewn before them are the scattered remains of devoured fidusuckers and clouds of synthetic fibers. It's been a long game, reaching on for nearly an hour now, and Equius is devoid of many things. He is out of host plushes, crippling his ability to call more fiduspawn to his aid; he is out of brainpower to focus on the game that he has been losing since turn one; and he is nearly out of clothing, which only contributes to his frazzled, distracted state. He's quite a sight.

"Yes, I believe so," Equius admits, prim as ever, perching on the arm of the loungeplank in his underwear and socks. His eyes are unreadable behind the cracked shades he has elected to cling to thus far. Tavros wonders which he will expose first - his eyes or his bulge.

"Well, you know the rule. You're more than welcome to, uh, buy one of mine. I have plenty."

The blush that Equius has been sporting deepens ever further as he thinks it through. "Name your price," he says, voice surprisingly steady. Tavros is impressed.

"Oh, have you forgotten already? Should we get the, uh. Rules out again? I thought you remembered them. Last time." Tavros savors the way Equius's throat bobs as he swallows down his humiliation, and reaches down to remove a sock with lightly trembling hands. He folds it politely and offers it to Tavros, who clicks his tongue. "I'm pretty sure that, uh, frond coverings count as one item of clothing. Since they're a pair."

Equius removes the other sock just as carefully, and hands the pair to Tavros, in exchange for one of the half dozen host plushes that Tavros still possesses. He tosses out another oogonibomb, but the fledgling horsaroni that emerges from the bomb stands no chance against the screewyrm Tavros has been vital-boosting since the beginning of the match. It's a losing battle, and they both know it, but it stopped being about the fiduspawn half an hour ago. Tavros's eyes take on a shine as he directs his screewyrm to constrict Equius's horsaroni until it is too dizzy to even think of putting up a fight. The horsaroni joins the small crowd of sleepy, worn-out fiduspawn that Equius has commanded along the course of their lengthy battle.

"Oh. That's your last host plush, isn't it, Equius?" Tavros smirks.

Equius looks fit to burst. He nods regally, as though he doesn't trust himself to speak. It's cute, and Tavros would tell him so, but he feels it might break the spell that has fallen over them both. Fairy magic, it must be. Except that's stupid and fake, and this is very real.

"Well. You can, um. Pay the price for a new one, or admit defeat. But a strong highblood like you wouldn't, uh. Want to concede to a warmblood, would you?"

Pride sets Equius's jaw, and it's only sweeps of these interactions that tells Tavros that it's mostly for show. "Of horse not. I have my pride." He hesitates, reasoning between his shades and his briefs before deciding, and standing to remove the last of the fabric from his body.

"Slower," Tavros interjects, and Equius pauses again, a bead of sweat dripping down his face. "Turn around. I, uh, want to see your hindquarters."

Equius acquiesces, turning his back to Tavros and sliding the blue-stained briefs down his hips. They cling to his thighs, the muscles large enough to keep them from immediately dropping to the floor. The exposed flesh of his ass is tensed in anticipation, like he's expecting Tavros to do something to him while his back is turned. It's an appealing prospect, but not really the direction Tavros has planned for their evening. "Perfect. At least I'm, uh, getting something from this game. Not a challenge, of course, but at least you look good."

The muscles in Equius's back ripple as he fights his reflexive, aroused indignation. "I should hope you would think so, at this point in our endeavors," he says haughtily. Tavros just grins, making certain to compose himself before Equius turns back around. His bulge had unsheathed ages ago, but the sight of it coiled and tense in the open air is still a pleasing one. Tavros doesn't hide his interest - impressed eyes drag along Equius's body, settling on his bulge for a long moment before returning to his typical demure expression that Equius knows, intimately, is a fabrication.

"Well, back to the game!" Tavros exclaims, handing over a new host plush. It's blue as Equius's bulge, and its gleaming eyes catch the light in a way that is almost lifelike. When Equius's oogonibomb hatches and the fiduspawn bursts from it, blue fabric covers the battlefield. Tavros's screewyrm makes quick work of his last fiduspawn, using its spawntech to confuse the drophog into simply walking out of bounds, thus forfeiting the round.

"It looks like you're, um, out of clothes," Tavros says, patting the screewyrm on the head gently as it snuffles for treats, rocky body scratching the metal body of his four wheel device and making a sound that is menacing combined with the look on Tavros's face.

Equius tries to speak, and his voice cracks. He clears his throat and tries again. "Does this mean that the game is over?"

"Well, you are out of currency," Tavros points out, pretending to ponder the conundrum they have before them. "But I think that you can find another way to, uh, pay for a plush. You're resourceful. So what do you think? What can you, um, offer. To me. In exchange."

Equius knows how this goes; they've played similar games in the past. But watching the expression on his face settle into embarrassed resignation is always fun, especially knowing just how much he enjoys it. "Are you suggesting I service you? I suppose I could clean the hive. Perhaps fix the disposal in your kitchen sink. Maybe then the entire hive won't smell of filth." He turns up his nose, even as his bulge writhes under Tavros's attention.

"Now that's, um. Not a very nice way to talk to the person who is, uh, providing you with a way to continue," Tavros points out, wheeling closer to Equius. It's an enormous violation of the rules, to enter the battlefield, but his screewyrm is too busy raiding the snack pouch to be a danger, and the field is otherwise empty. Besides, it's not like they'll be returning to this particular match. They'll call it a draw.

Every muscle in Equius's shoulders and back is tense as Tavros approaches, keeping him proudly at attention. He's gotten better at hiding his eagerness, and it makes it that much more fun and exciting to strip away the pretense. Tavros stops just shy of bumping Equius with his four wheel device and looks up at him (though not far - even seated, Tavros comes up nearly to Equius's collarbone). "I like the idea of you doing something for me, though. It is a, uh. Service economy, isn't it?"

"We have been post-industrial for some time, yes," Equius responds, practically trembling from the proximity. "What would you suggest, then?"

Tavros cocks his head to the side, and his horn taks against the back of his chair as he sizes Equius up. "I was thinking you could put on a little, uh, show for me." He places a hand on Equius's stomach, smiling when Equius flinches like a spooked horse. "Show me what you're willing to do to win. And, uh, if you do a good enough job, you might win something more than just a game."

"Oh," Equius breathes, his voice dropped to a whisper. He can't stop staring at Tavros's hand, where it touches him. "That could be an... acceptable trade."

Tavros's hand glides up Equius's stomach to his chest, warm and solid against chilled skin. "Why don't we, uh. Take this to the respiteblock?" The way Equius's pusher thrums under his hand is all the answer he needs.

Wheels creak along the floorboards as Tavros leads Equius down the hall towards his respiteblock. The space is much more crowded than it was when he was a wiggler, dominated by a platform he never thought he’d need. Small tokens from his frequent visitor rest along his shelves and desk, as poised as their owner, lending comfort and familiarity. A lifesized mechanical approximation of Tinkerbull slumbers in the corner, its yellow charging light blinking cheerfully. The real Tinkerbull has been out foraging for several days, and the automaton has been surprisingly helpful in staving off loneliness during his trips away. Blue sheets, once white, adorn the platform, and a stack of towels claims the top shelf of the fabric-storage cubicle. It's just as familiar as Equius's presence at his back, and Tavros is glad to have this intimacy with someone so special. It's a drastic change from his first relationship, he thinks sardonically as he struggles to get his horns and chair through the doorway.

"Would you care for assistance?" Equius asks. With Tavros's consent, gentle hands take hold of the four wheel device and help ease it and its rider into the room. Thus freed from the clutches of his hive, Tavros wheels over to the platform and lifts himself out of his chair and onto its plush surface. His legs follow, one then the other, and he leans back against the mountain of pillows to catch his breath. Equius stands, nude and waiting, at the end of the platform, arms folded behind his back and eyes hidden behind his glasses.

"Why don't you turn around and bend over?" Tavros suggests, smiling. "You're kind of a stud. And I'd like to, uh, get a better look."

Equius's expression is enrapturing. It teeters between haughty pride and genuine desire to serve as he fights to maintain the character he's taken on since he arrived. Tavros is impressed, and very proud. When they first started playing games together, Equius was simply awful at it! Even with Nepeta as his moirail, he never really understood the appeal of playing pretend, not until Tavros showed him just how tantalizing it can be. He turns around, pauses for a brief second, and bends perfectly at the waist, gripping his ankles for balance.

"Well look at that," Tavros says, admiring the view. "I wonder, is your nook the, uh, same color as your bulge?"

"Heavens," Equius breathes against his shins.

"I think we should find out!" Tavros decides, smirking at Equius's backside. "Spread your legs for me. And uh, your nook, too. So I can see."

Equius does so, reaching behind himself and using his fingertips to carefully spread the lips of his nook. Genetic material drips from him to the floor, staining the well-stained carpet further. It makes Tavros shiver. "Is this acceptable?" Equius asks, his composure cracking a little.

"Hm, I don't know. I can't really see from here. My eyes aren't, uh. The best. Maybe you should come closer."

Equius chirps in response, straightening up and nervously approaching the bed. Tavros holds up a hand when he comes within arm's reach and Equius stops dead. "That's close enough," he says, grinning. It's not often than Tavros looks like a predator, with his gentle demeanor and mild stutter, but there's no mistaking the look in his eyes. "Spread your legs."

"O-of horse," Equius says, widening his stance and fumbling a bit as he tries to decide what to do with his hands. Tavros tilts his head this way and that, horns pressing into the pillows and thwacking against the headboard of the platform.

"Hm, still can't see. Why don't you get up on the, uh. The platform. Right here." He pats the space in front of him, and Equius obliges, kneeling like a supplicant before the throne. Tavros tsks, and twirls his finger, and Equius turns around with a sharp intake of breath. One huge, warm hand settles on the center of his back and presses him down, face-first on the mattress with his ass up in the air. "There we go! I can see much better now."

Tavros spreads Equius's knees farther apart, leaning in and humming happily as he observes just how aroused Equius is. When he gets tired of leaning forward, he takes hold of Equius's hips and pulls, dragging him backward so that his nook is less than a foot from Tavros's face. Every breath sends a wave of heat across wet skin, and Equius pants against the sheets. Tavros hasn't even touched him yet. "That's very pretty," he says, stroking the insides of Equius's thighs with the back of his knuckles. "You're a gorgeous pony, aren't you? Are you, uh, well-behaved, too?" His thumbs come up to spread Equius open a bit more, and Tavros licks along Equius's nook, catching his wetness on his tongue.

Equius sucks in a ragged breath but otherwise doesn't move, keeping himself very still. Tavros laps at him languidly, dragging labored noises out of him along with little gushes of genetic material. The softness of his tongue against sensitive skin is sweet torture, and Tavros can feel the contractions as his nook clenches around nothing, desperate for more. Tavros gives it to him. His tongue slips inside, teasing the first inch or so of Equius’s nook. Equius whines.

Tavros licks his lips and pulls back from Equius's nook, pusher racing with excitement. This is his favorite thing, taking Equius apart like this. Seeing his nook clench on nothing, bulge knotted and thighs trembling is an image he will never get tired of. "Very well-behaved. I'm impressed, Equius! How are you feeling?"

Equius lifts his face from the mattress. "Put in my place," he admits breathily.

"You know? I think you're right. You've, um, earned your freedom from the, uh. Game. Why don't you go get the box, and we'll celebrate?"

Mention of the box sends a full-body tremor through Equius, and he nods, horns scraping the platform. "Of course, if that would please you."

"It would please us both," Tavros says, swatting his ass playfully and earning a yelp. "Go get it."

Equius practically runs to retrieve the box, only his ass sticking out of the fabric-storing cubicle. While he does, Tavros leans over to attend to one of his more expensive pets whose aquarium commandeers the bedside table. This truly is clandestine timing - its been far too long since he was fed last. Equius returns, box in tow, and flushes vibrantly when he sees Tavros attending to the creature. "I have retrieved the requested item," Equius states, waiting for an invitation to rejoin Tavros on the platform.

"Good! Thank you." Tavros takes the box from him, rifling through its contents and humming to himself as Equius shifts his weight from foot to foot.

Tavros removes a pair of blinders from the box, turning them over in his hand and enjoying the feeling of stiff leather. They're a warm brown, like all of his leather toys, to contrast with the cool blue of Equius's body. He beckons Equius closer, and the smaller troll drops to one knee and bows his head for ease of access. With a gentle touch, Tavros removes the cracked shades from his face and sets them aside. The straps are well-worn and the buckles cold and solid against Equius's face as Tavros tightens the strap under his chin and carefully pulls his silky hair through. When Equius opens his eyes, all he can see is Tavros's smiling face. "There. Now you won't, uh, get distracted."

Equius chitters, tension going out of his shoulders as his world shrinks to nothing but Tavros's attention. "I cantermagine anything could distract me from this," he says earnestly. He's always more talkative, once the blinders are on. It's easier to be vulnerable without the wide world weighing down like an ocean of expectation and order. Tavros expects nothing. He simply takes what he wants. What they both want.

"Nothing could distract me from you, either," Tavros says, cupping the back of Equius's neck and pulling him in for a patient kiss. His lips strip away the last of Equius's resolve, and he melts against Tavros with a purr. Tavros picks Equius up with ease, breaking the kiss to move him onto the bed and into Tavros's lap.

Equius straddles Tavros's lap, thighs spread wide to accommodate for Tavros's legs. Even atrophied and useless, it's difficult to manage sitting astride. Not unlike riding a horse, Equius thinks dreamily as he gazes up at Tavros.

He can almost feel Equius's weight atop him. The chill of Equius's body presses against Tavros's stomach, and his body is almost convinced that it extends down into his legs. Smiling wide, Tavros buries his face into the crook of Equius's neck and presses a kiss there. Equius is strong but he is also fragile, and Tavros is the only one who treats him with the gentility he needs and deserves. Tavros slides his hand along Equius's side and presses his thumb into Equius's grubscars to distract him as he fumbles blindly for the box.

Tavros retrieves a pair of thick, padded cuffs from the box and kisses his way up to whisper in Equius's ear. "Why don't you lay down and get comfortable? Where I can, uh, get to you." He nibbles the base of Equius's ear, earning himself a sharp intake of breath, and releases Equius from his grasp. A bit of shuffling and Equius sprawls out in his lap, nestled between Tavros's legs with his legs on either side of him.

"You held your character for a long time," Tavros says, cradling Equius's leg in his hands and bending his knee so he can clip the cuff to Equius's ankle. "I think that's a record! It was, uh, really fun to watch you get all flustered." The other ankle follows, and Tavros digs through the box for a length of rope.

"I have a good teacher," Equius replies, assisting Tavros in lashing his ankles to the headboard. "But I feel I struggle with the... improvisation."

"It just takes practice," Tavros reassures him. He cups Equius's cheek in his hand, and his pusher flutters just like Equius's eyelashes. "You're already way better than, uh, when we started. And you'll get plenty more practice. Can you move?"

Equius tugs lightly at the bindings. "If I do not try to pull free, these bindings should hold." He's pleased. It's rare that any kind of rope or cuff can hold him, but these are cholerbear hide and ironwool rope. Tavros had them specially-made.

"Good! If you break them, we, uh, won't be able to play anymore. So be careful." Tavros returns to his earlier fun, stroking Equius's flanks and watching his body twitch and flush under him. "Do you remember the, um. Safeword?"

"Subjuggulator," Equius says, watching Tavros touch him. There's nowhere else to look.

Tavros smiles. "Good boy." He takes pity on Equius's poor, neglected bulge and teases the tip with his fingers, pulling a whine out of Equius. "I think I, uh, want to play with my bulge. What do you think?"

"I am h-happy to provide," Equius tells him, arms tense at his sides. Tavros gently nudges one then the other upward to get him to relax a bit, continuing to stroke the first two inches or so of Equius's bulge.

"Thank you! But I should, uh. Give you something in return. To make sure you get to feel good, too." Tavros smiles sweetly. "Would you like that?"

Equius's breath hitches in his throat. "You have never given me a gift I have not enjoyed," he breathes, rolling his hips up into Tavros's hand to seek more contact and getting nothing from it. "I do not require repayment, but if you wish to give it, I will accept gratefully."

That's what he wants to hear. Tavros releases Equius's bulge, earning a sad little chirr from the troll in his lap. "Oh, you hush," he chastises gently, closing his eyes to commune with the nookworm in the tank beside him. It peeks its head out from its hidey-hole, seeking food and attention, and Tavros plucks it out of its enclosure, cradling it in his hand. The nookworm is lusus-white (it really has been far too long since it has eaten last) and slightly longer than Tavros's hand from wrist to fingertip. It snuffles at his fingers, sucking the material off of them and trying to burrow between them but only finding air. "Would you care to say hello to Squiggle?"

"Hello," Equius says, blue in the face. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

The nookworm doesn't respond, because it is a worm, and because it is very hungry. Tavros answers for him. "He says, uh, 'thank you,' and, um, 'it's nice to see you, too.'" Tavros takes hold of Equius's bulge again, lifting it up out of the way so Tavros can see what he's doing. There's a small puddle of material pooling under Equius, from where his nook has leaked on the sheets, and the nookworm can smell it. It tries to wriggle out of Tavros's grip, and he soothes it with his mind as he considers the best angle of approach. Equius can handle a lot, this much he knows, but it has also been a long time, and Tavros doesn't want to overwhelm. So, keeping careful hold on the nookworm's mind, Tavros allows it to nuzzle its head inside of Equius, sucking at him with its soft mouth.

Equius grips the mattress tight enough to snap a spring, chitters coiling in the back of his throat as the nookworm slowly, gently spreads him open. It moves independently in a way that he still is not accustomed to, despite the dozen or so times they've done this. Toy or no, the nookworm is very much alive, and it reminds him of this as it burrows its body deeper and deeper into him, filling every inch of him with soft, pulsing heat and all the while searching with its mouth for... for...

"Fiddlesticks!" Equius gasps as the nookworm finishes its journey to the depths of his body, latching onto the flap of his gene-retention sac and sucking gently. He feels full and heavy and drunk on the pheromones the little creature excretes, leaving his nook swollen and drenched.

Tavros releases the end of the nookworm as it slips from his fingers into Equius's nook. It functions as a plug, preventing any slurry from escaping and swelling further as it ingests more and more of it. Equius's nook flutters around the worm, and Tavros ghosts his knuckle along his folds, earning another gasp. Perfect. That should do. "How is that?"

"Spectacular," Equius chirps, the word coming out slightly garbled for it. Tavros smiles down at him.

"So are you." As Equius's flushed face deepens to a richer blue, Tavros tugs him forward another few inches, until the backs of his thighs are flush to Tavros's stomach. The nookworm squirms a little deeper, jostled by the manhandling. From here, Equius's bulge sits in the center of Tavros's lap, right above his own.

Tavros takes Equius's bulge in his hand gently, letting it tangle around his fingers. Equius whimpers and gasps under his ministrations, but Tavros is focused on himself, for the moment. He drags his hand along Equius's bulge, feeling the slick surface slide against his skin. A pleased chitter settles in his chest, and Tavros strokes Equius like he used to stroke himself, slow and persistent. Letting his eyes flutter shut, Tavros allows himself to sink into the feeling, to pretend that it is his own bulge in his hand. His skin tingles and his pusher thrums in his chest, a counter-cadence to Equius's quiet sounds as he does his best not to squirm.

"This feels so good," Tavros sighs, giving Equius's bulge a little squeeze at the base, sliding up and wringing little pulses of genetic material from him. "Thank you, Equius." Equius responds with a chirr. The wetness of his nook slicks Tavros's stomach where his shirt has ridden up as he mimes stroking himself. Tavros couldn't ask for a better toy, or a better partner. "Maybe I should, uh. Paint your face with my slurry, hm? You already look so pretty, and blue is a, uh. Good color on you."

"Please," Equius chokes out, his entire body trembling with the force of withholding his orgasm, for Tavros's benefit. He can feel his racing pulse within his nook, spread wide by the swollen nookworm, and every slide of Tavros's hand is like lightning to his core. His abs clench, hard as stone, and he hears the headboard crack under the strain.

Tavros hears it, too. It signals the end of their playtime, if he isn't careful. Even Equius's discipline can't overcome his body's needs forever. "I think I'm close," he purrs, petting Equius's stomach with his free hand. "Close your eyes." Equius obliges, and Tavros closes his as well, reaching out to commune with the nookworm. It pauses its search for food for a brief second, confused, until Tavros gently takes control from it and it starts to chirr. It buzzes, sending vibrations through Equius's nook, and presses its tail against his globes, all with a little nudge from Tavros.

Equius comes with a startled cry, horns piercing through the mattress as he throws his head back. Tavros sighs a happy sigh, feeling his bulge pulse beneath his fingers, and watches Equius paint himself blue with his assistance. Tremors wrack Equius's body and he chitters angrily, like an aggravated nest of razorwasps. It's magnificent to watch, and when he starts to shake from overstimulation, Tavros kindly puts the nookworm to sleep.

Equius is a hot mess, drenched in sweat and slurry from head to toe and panting like a well-run racehorse. Blood drips from his palms where he clenched his fists too tight, and Tavros takes them gently in his hands, checking for damage. "Are you alright? You're not, uh. Hurt or anything?" Equius purrs in response, muscles relaxing and eyes closed tight against the slurry dripping down his face. "I'll take that as a no."

The edge of the sheet serves as a makeshift towel, wiping away the worst of the mess and bringing Equius, blinking, back into the world. He smiles at Tavros, all pretense gone, fucked right out of him by Tavros's calm hands and one very determined critter. "All is well. Though I am unsure how we are to remove the, um. Squiggles." He titters at the absurdity of the statement, and draws Tavros into laughing right along.

"I can get him out. Just, uh. Relax." Tavros giggles again at the dance of expressions Equius's face does as the worm works its way out of him and into Tavros's waiting hands. The once-white critter is blue as the ocean depths, blue as a lover's eyes, and it curls up, exhausted, on Tavros's palm. The last of the tension drains from Equius, and he leans forward to fiddle with the cuffs on his ankles as Tavros tucks the little worm back into its tank. A little shove from Tavros sends Equius flopping back on his back, and Tavros unties him with the same patience he uses with everything else.

"I do believe we both need to bathe," Equius purrs, eyes fluttering as Tavros rubs feeling back into his ankles and feet. "I am happy to assist you, if you would- oh fuck, right there..." He chirrs, a lazy smile on his face. Tavros continues to dig his thumb into the knot on Equius's calf.

"Hm, thanks but I think I got it. If you want to, um. Go get the water running? I can meet you there." With a kiss to Equius's knee, he relinquishes his legs and gives his hips a little squeeze. "Can you walk?"

In answer, Equius swings his legs over the side of the bed. His nook leaves a blue smear across the sheets that he doesn't have the wherewithal to feel embarrassed about. He flexes his toes, takes a breath, and stands. Despite gravity's best attempts to drag him to the floor, he stands firm, and turns to smile at Tavros. "You look as though someone was murdered in your lap."

"I, uh. Murdered that nook, didn't I?" Tavros winks, and Equius's laughter follows him down the hall to the ablution block.

Once he's gone, Tavros begins the rather demeaning process of moving into his four wheel device. He captchalogues his ruined pants, but the slurry has soaked straight through to his skin, making for a rather uncomfortable sensation as he settles down onto the cold seat. He brings his legs down with him, and pauses to catch his breath. For the hundredth time, Tavros thanks the stars that Equius's need to coddle him has passed. As much as he appreciates the care, moments like these are still much less frustrating without the blueblood over his shoulder, wringing his hands with concern. He no longer hovers outside of the room when Tavros sends him off, and the comfort of feeling respected makes Tavros's chest ache. It was the last thing he expected, when they began this little experiment of theirs, but Equius has surprised him with every passing day.

When he stops outside of the ablution block, Equius looks up from the tub to beam at him. He's still wearing his blinders, and the look is ridiculous without the context of the bedroom adding tension and reverence. "Could you, uh, help me into the ablution trap?" There's not a lot of room for two trolls and the chair in the tiny room. When Equius bends to pick him up, Tavros busies himself with the straps on Equius's head, removing the blinders and setting them on the sink to be cleaned later.

The water is surprisingly warm, warmer than he expected Equius to handle. Still, he settles into the water behind Tavros without complaint, removing his stained shirt and tossing it aside to run cool hands along hot skin. The tingling sensation left behind makes Tavros shiver, and Equius's body warms behind him much like the cool porcelain would. They share the silence, Equius exploring his chest and sides with the precise hands of an artist, and their combined purring sends a buzz through the water that is both familiar and soothing.

"Was this satisfying for you?" Equius asks, reaching for the soap and sliding it along Tavros's stomach. Blue stains the water.

"Mmm," Tavros responds. "Getting to see you so strung out is, uh. Always satisfying." The sensation disappears as Equius's hands dip lower, cleaning genetic material from between his legs.

"May I do more for you?" Equius amends, turning the soap on himself long enough to remove the slurry otherwise rubbing along Tavros's back. "I would like to."

The solid body behind him and the dancing hands taking care of him leave him teetering between excitement and calm, as they always do. Every time the question arises, it does this to him, and the anticipation of an answer hangs in the air. He doesn't feel pressured to accept - hasn't in a very long time - but Equius's willingness to fly in the face of the traditions he once held so dear still surprises Tavros every time. He doesn't ask if Equius is sure. He wouldn't offer if he wasn't. "I'd like that," he breathes, leaning his head back to allow Equius to run handfuls of water through his hair.

For awhile, it's just that. Equius washes hair product and the day's weight out of his hair, combs conditioning cream through and scratches gently along his scalp. The sound of sloshing water and their content purring is so quiet that when Equius's claws shift their scratching from his skull to his hornbeds, Tavros's sharp intake of breath is loud as a gunshot. Equius digs in with the pads of his thumbs and Tavros goes limp, releasing that same breath in a shaky rush.

It was surprising to him, at first, how much more sensitive his body became when he lost his legs. Apparently, it was his brain making up for the loss of sensation by overcompensating in other areas, and he counted himself lucky when he first noticed the change. When Equius suggested it, six perigees ago, Tavros was afraid of interfering with his matesprit's moiraillegiance, but assurance from Nepeta and Equius's enthusiastic desire to make him feel good removed any shame he felt in this simple act.

So when Equius twists his hands firmly along the base of Tavros's horns, he doesn't hold back the moan that it pulls from him, even as his body gives in to the reflexive submission demanded of him. When Equius kisses along Tavros's neck, he doesn't bother to temper his breathing or hide his pleasure. As Tavros's mind dissolves into heady, happy mush, the smile on his face lacks any of his typical anxiety. He purrs, and fades.

Tavros doesn't entirely recall being moved, but when he rouses from his stupor, he finds himself resting on the platform, Equius's face buried in his chest and in the swathe of blankets surrounding them. The sheets have been changed, pillows rearranged, and Equius appears to be dozing. Tavros tangles his fingers in the curtain of hair framing Equius's face, and he wakes with a surprised little snuffle, blinking owlishly up at Tavros. "My apologies. I did not wish to move you without your consent, but the water had chilled and you were quite nonsensical. It seemed better to move you somewhere warm and ask forgiveness later than to allow you to freeze."

"It's fine," Tavros assures him. "Thank you. Are you, uh. Comfortable?"

Equius hums his assent and nuzzles back against Tavros's bare chest. "I colt sleep right here. Unless you'd care to move to the recuperacoon? I don't mind."

"No, this is perfect." Tavros holds Equius to him, a quiet protector, placing his vulnerability somewhere cherished and safe. "We can, uh. Clean up the rumpusblock in the evening."

Tavros slips into sleep as easy as breathing. He dreams of flying, and oceans of crystalline blue.


End file.
